Centrifugal pump



June 13, 1944.

R. R. BoYLEs r-:rAL 2,350,983

GENTRIFUGAL PUMP Filed 'April 1o, 1942 2 sheets-sheet 1 Y l u June 13, 1944. R. BoYLEs ETAL I 2,350,983

CENTRIFUGAL PUMP Filed Ap'ril 1o, 1942 2' sheets-sheet 2 Patented June i3, 1944 CENTRIFUGAL PUMP Ralph R. Boyles and Edward A. Wilhelm, St. Paul,

Minn., assignors to Waterous Company, St. Paul, Minn., a corporation oi' Minnesota Application April 10, 1942, Serial No. 438,450

6 Claims.

Our invention relates to an improvement in centrifugal pump, wherein it is desired tot provide a simple and elcient pump construction.

In the past, it has been common practice to construct centrifugal ypumps with a plurality of castings secured together by bolts or other suitable means. The Joints between the various castings must all be carefully sealed to prevent leakage. Air leaks through the pump casing greatly increase the dimculty in priming the pump, particularly when the pump is primed by removal of the air from the pump casing. Furthermore, the castings must be carefully aligned, as thel impeller shaft is usually supported by bearings mounted in different castings.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a centrifugal pump having a casing formed in two main .parts connected together. One of these parts comprises the impeller casing or supporting bearings and a shaft stuiing box all forming a part of the same casting to permit machining of the same in xed permanent alignment.

supports a hub within which a stuffing box is provided. 'This disc or plate also supports a bearing housing coaxial with the hub, and axially spaced therefrom. As a result, the stung box is maintained in permanent alignment with the shaft supporting bearings.

A further feature of the present invention is found lin the protection of the bearings from water and sand during operation of the pump.

' The bearings are separated from the interior of With such a construction, all of 'the bearing seats impeller shaft may lbe assembled in position. If

the impeller shaft rotates freely when installed, there is little danger of; thevshaft ever binding, as no adjustment is possibleA between ythe bearings.,

A further feature of the present invention relates to thel provision of a pair Aof impeller shaft bearings mounted in xed relation .within a single casting-,.and valulz'ricant reservoirbetween the bearings. This construction has many advantages. f

Both ofthe shaft.` supporting bearings are lubricated from a single `lubricant reservoir, Ymaking* it possibleto properly .lubricate the bearings with oil inserted at a single point in the casting.v `With this construction water is not -depended upon as the bearingvlubricant for of the bearings, and as a result the pump may berun either wet or dry,without`}harmful effects. Furthermore, ini--` rurales-earned bri there@ ,-.ihieth pump .de

construction is found in the provision of a closure plate integral with one of the castings 'of the pump designed to close the end of the flywheel housing of the engine driving the pump. The

casting which supports the impeller shaft bearfication: i.

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view through the centrifugal pump` showing oury new.l construction. Figure 2v is a front elevation view of the pump.

`In the drawings forming a part of our speci- Figure 3 is a sectional view through the pump A supporting casting. the -position of-the section being indicated by the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure-4 isaperspective -view of one of the castings forming -the pump.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a stuiiing` boxf nut `used in` sealing the impeller shaft to the supporting casting. r v v The ypump A is a single stage 'I'he disc or plate designed to close the` open side of the impeller casing o r volute casing` centrifugal t particularly `designedfor.,operation by an engine 'such as an internal combustion'engine B. The

pump A is shown attached to the ily-wheel housing I of the engine B in the construction illustrated. Obviously the impeller shaft may be connected in arLv way to the engine crank shaft or to the fly-wheel of the engine.

The pump A includes two main castings, one of which is indicated in general by the numeral II, and the other of which acts to support the impeller-and to connect the impeller housing to the engine B. This latter casting is indicated in general by the numeral I2, and is best illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawings.

The impeller casing II includes a volute I3 which communicates with a discharge passageway I4 which leads to apair of discharge valves I5 and I6. The discharge valves I5 and I6 are shown closed by the caps l1 and I9, respectively. The valves are controlled by valve stems 26 and 2l which are rotated by valve handles 22 and 23. The liquid being pumped may be forced througheither of the valves I5 or I6, or through erably vprovided at the lower extremity of the,

volute casing. A valve 36 controls this drain passage 29 so that the contacts of the pump may be drained when the pump is not in operation.

Theimpeller 3| is provided with a hub 32 which is keyed to the end of the impeller shaft 33 and which is held against a shoulder 34 in the shaft 33 by the-lock nut- 35. A'circular flange 36 projects rearwardly from the impeller to seal the impeller with respect tothe casing in a manner which will be later described in detail. A similar flange 31 projects forwardly from ythe impeller to extend in a groove 39 in the impeller casing. As the flange 31 is circular and coaxial with the shaft 33 and as the groove 33 is also circular and coaxial with the shaft, a seal is provided between the intake chamber.46 and theinterior of the volute I3.

Liquid is driven by rotation of the impeller through the spiral passages 4I in the impeller into the volute I3 which communicates with the discharge openings shown closed by the caps I1 and I6. The rear side of the volute casing is provided with an opening 43 of suicient diameter to permit insertion of the impeller 3|. This opening 43 is closed by means of a closure plate 44 which forms a part of the casting I2, best illustrated in Figure 4,0 f the drawings. Bolts 45, or cap screws or other suitable means hold theV castings II and I2 securely together anda gasket 46 between these castings acts to seal the single joint between the two main pump parts.

'I'he closure plate 44 is provided with a hub 41 encircling the impeller shaft 33 and includes a circular groove 46 concentric with the shaft 33 which is designed to accommodate the circular flange. 36 on the impeller 3l. The lextension of the flange 36 into the groove 43 acts to seal the impeller with respect to the closure plate 44, forming a part of the volute casing, and permits high pressure to exist within the volute and' a reduced pressure to exist in the pump intake. Packing 56 is provided between a portion of the hub 41 and the shaft 33 and a split stuffing boxgland 5I fits into the hub 41 surrounding the shaft 33 5 to compress the packing 56 when the bolts or cap screws 48 are tightened. As best illustrated in'Figure 5 of the drawings, the packing gland 5I is longitudinally split at 52 for ease in assembly so that the gland may be removed and so that i0 the packing can be easily inserted into the stuffing box.

The packing gland 5I fits tightly about the shaft 33 at its outer end, and is relieved slightly atitsinner end. The split 52 extends through the boltl holes for receiving the cap screws 43. Tightening the cap screws 48 tends to urge the split halves of the kgland 5I together at the outer end of the gland, and tends to urge the split halves of the gland 5I outwardly against the hub 41 at the inner end of the gland.`

With reference now to Figure 4 of the drawings, it -will'be noted that a series of radially extending' webs 53 extend rearwardly from the closure plate 44 and terminate in a second closure plate`54 extending substantially parallel to the closure plate 44. The closure plate 54 is normally bolted to the fly-wheel housing I6 by cap screws 55 or other suitable means. A sleeve 56 is provided integral with the closure plate 54 and the webs 53, and this sleeve 56 is axially aligned with the hub 41. As noted in Figure 4 of the drawings, the sleeve 56 terminates short of the hub 41 and the webs 53 are cut out at this point sufficient to allow insertion and removal of the packing gland 5I. Thus the packing gland may be operated by the cap screws 4I! to properly compress the packing 56 and may be moved longitudinally of the shaft because of the space between the hub and the sleeve 56.

0 Within the sleeve 66 we provide a pair of spaced A bearing seats 51 and 53 designed to support antifriction bearings 66 and 6I in proper alignment and in spaced relation. A spacing sleeve 62, which encircles the portion of the shaft 33 enclosed by the bearing sleeve or housing 56, extends between the bearings 66 and 6I, providing a lubricant reservoir 63 between the sleeves 66 and 62, and between the bearings 66 and 6I. A rlubiricant may be inserted into this reservoir through the plugs 64 and when desired the lubricant may be drained through the drain plug 65. The forward end of the sleeve 66 is closed by a inger ring 56 mounted on the shaft 33 and a bearing shield 66 internally of the ilinger ring 53 further seals the bearing' 6I. A fiinger ring 66 is similarly provided at the rear end of the sleeve 56 and a bearing shield 61 adjacent the inger ring 66 further seals the bearing 66.

The outer nace of bearings 66 and 6I are made to float a little on their respective seats. This is accomplished by providing a ring-shaped retaining element 69 secured to the end of the sleeve 56 by bolts 14, and providing an inwardly extending flange 15 on the forward end of the sleeve. The distance between the opposed faces of the element 69 and the flange 15 establishes the amount the outer races of the bearings 66 and 6I can float.

The inner races of the bearings 66 and 6I are fixed longitudinally on the shaft 33 by the clamping nut 16 and the shoulder 11 on the shaft 33 through the diil'erent elements assembled on the shaft. The clamping action of the clamping nut 16 goes through the lock washe'i` 16, the ilinger said closure plate and said lbearing supportl ring E6, the inner race of bearing 60, the separator sleeve .62, the inner race of bearing 6I, and the flinger ring 58, clamping these elements l against the shoulder 11.

connectionmay be effectively made through the use of a well known Oldham coupling in place of the connection shown.

The operation of the pump will be clearly understood from the foregoing description. Water is. admitted to the pump through the axial intake passage 40 and is drawn through the passages A4I of the impeller by rotation of the same. The discharge of the pump is of course at high pressure and this high pressure is sealed from the intake Gpassage by the flanges 36 and 31.

In the construction of the pump, the bearing seats 51 and 59, as well as thehub 41, may be machined in'perfect alignment because all of these parts form a part of the same casting. Thus the shaft cannot bind or seize due to mis'- alignment of its bearings during assembly or re-4 pair. 'I'he bearing seats, stufdng box, and groove 49 must remain in perfect coaxial relation as they are formed in a single casting, and no ad- `justment is possible between these=elements- In accordance with the patent statutes, we have described the principles of construction of our centrifugal pump, and while we have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, we desire to have it understood that obvious changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of our invention.

We claim:

1. In a centrifugal pump for use in combination with an engine, a casing including a volute, an axial intake in one side of said casing, the

capable of completely supporting a stub shaft mounted in said bearing supports, an impeller shaft in said bearing means extending4 through said plates, and an impeller on said shaft within said impeller casing.

3. In a centrifugal pump for use in combination with an engine having a y-wheel housing, an impeller casing including a volute, an intake opening in one side of said casing, an opening in the other side of said casing, a closure plate for said opening, a fly-wheel housing closure plate in spaced parallel relation to said closure plate, means integrally connecting said plates, said means comprising a series of radially extending spacing webs, a bearing support between said plates and secured` to said webs, bearing means of a type capable of completely supporting a stubshaft mounted in said bearing supports, an impeller shaft in said bearing means extending through said plates, and an impeller'on said shaft within said impeller casing.

4. In a centrifugal pump, an impeller casing including a volute, y an intake opening in one side of said casing, an opening in the other side of said casing, a closure plate for said opening, a second plate in spaced parallel relation to said closure plate, radially extending web means integrally connecting said plates, a bearing support between said plates of a type capable of complete- 1y supporting a stub shaft mounted in said bearing supports, an-impeller shaft in said bearing means and extending through said plates, said web means being substantially spaced from said y shaft between said bearing support and said other side of the casing having an opening therein, an impeller in said casing, an impeller shaft on which said impeller is mounted, a closure plate for said opening in said casing through which said shaft extends, a bearing support integral with said closure plate and spaced therefrom, a' series ofv angularly spaced webs connecting an spaced from said shaft, a stuiilng box encircling said shaft and sealing the Joint between the shaft and said closure plate, axially spaced bearing means capable of completely supporting said impeller shaft in said bearing support, and an engine closure plate integral with said bearing support.

2. In a* centrifugal pump for use is combina-- tion with an engine, an impeller casing includinga volute, an intake opening in one side oi' said casing, an opening in the other side of said casing. a closure plate for said opening, a second plate in spaced parallel relation to said closure plate forming a closure for the engine, radially extending web means integrally 'connecting said plates. a bearing support between said plates secured to said web means. bearing means of a type closure plate, a stulng box sealing said closure plate to said shaft, and an impeller within said casing on said shaft.

5. In a centrifugal pump in combination with an engine having a ily-wheel housing, an impeller casing including a volute, an intake opening in one side of said casing, an opening in the other side of said casing, a closure plate for said opening, a second plate in spaced parallel relation to said closure plate, said second plate comprising a fly-wheel housing closure plate, means integrally connecting said plates, a bearing support in spaced relation to said closure plate integralv with said connecting means, bearing means of a type capable of completely supporting a stub shaft mounted in said bearing support, a shaft in said bearing means extending through said closure plate, and an impeller o n said shaft within saidcasing.

6. A centrifugal pump in combination with an engine having a ily-wheel housing, said pump comprising an impeller casing including a volute and having an inlet passage in one side thereof and a vdischarge passage in communication with said volute, said casing having an open side oppositesaid inlet passage, a closure plate normally closing said open side, a ily-wheel housing closure plate in spaced parallel relation to said closure plate, bearing means of a type capable of completely supporting a stub shaft connected to said ffy-wheel housing closure plate, spacing means integral with, and connecting, said plates, a shaft supported by said bearing means, and an impeller in said casing on. said shaft.

. D RALPH R'. BOYLES.

EDWARD A. WILHELM. 

